A Timmy Christmas and Tebow New Year

But much like the namesake in the title, it really doesn’t matter. And that’s just the way all of us Tebow wannabes should desire things to be.

Go ahead. Explain the Denver Broncos. I dare you.

The loss to Tom Terrific by Touchdown Tim this past Sunday aside, the fact is you can’t logically or rationally do so on paper. But you sure as heck could in a dream now, couldn’t you?

And since I am once again up at 4 in the morning on deadline day, I’ll let my somewhat half asleep mind try to explain the Broncos as you sleepwalk through what you thought would be another rant by your favorite business news publisher in the Grand Valley. I know I win that title by default. But like Mr. Tebow, I STILL WIN!

I’d like to think I’m fairly astute in my perception of the professional game of football and believe my friends would agree. When not detoured by my occasional partisan rooting for my favorite team (full disclosure, it involves Tom Terrific), I tend to see the game pretty well. Therefore, my experience in watching thousands of football games tells me something about Tim and the way he plays quarterback in the NFL. And that logic —no matter how anyone else may view it or how limited it might indeed be when compared to the knowledge of the universe — says that Tebow is not a top-tier NFL quarterback.

To which Tim Tebow, much like the honey badger, simply doesn’t give a bowel movement. And although I doubt he’d use that term to describe the attitude of said weasel in the viral video, I’m sure Tebow finds both the video, and my opinion, funny. And that’s because Tim Tebow is one thing every second of every day that all too many of us on this planet are only for a second, a moment or hour, or — if we’re really lucky — a whole day every now and then: a true believer in himself and his ability to achieve the great heights he envisions.

How many times have you heard a story begin with the words, “No one would have thought?” Now that I’m writing this column ,I ‘ beginning to think that those could be the saddest words in the English language —well, perhaps right after “Notre Dame 24, Michigan 20.” Because the truth be told, most all of us have “thought” about achieving great things.

Here’s one thing I truly believe. Sooner or later we will hear a football expert (this time it’s not me) say something like, “No one would have believed Tim Tebow would be a star quarterback in the league.” Sadly, that statement could not be more wrong. And you know why? Because Tim Tebow believed he would be. I know his teammates believe it. I’m just as sure that everyone Tim ever met never doubted he could lead any football team to great heights.

Maybe it’s because those words are usually used in certain situations, neither of them very good: After a disaster which seemed unfathomable or in a way that takes the dream away from the rest of us, because they seem to convey luck as opposed to what they really are, a testament to faith.

To put it more bluntly, think 9-11. I’ve heard countless times about how no one could have imagined that kind of terrorism. Perhaps you and I couldn’t have imagined something like the attacks happening to prevent them, but the terrorists sure did. On the flip side, think about the men and women who rushed in to save everyone they could and the countless stories of courage that fateful day. I’d like to imagine that kind of courage is in me, but I don’t believe it. I bet if I asked Tim Tebow if I had that kind of courage in me, he’d look me right in the eye and say, “absolutely.” And the difference in our eyes would be striking, because his would be sure of it and mine would be full of doubt.

Napoleon Hill said, “What the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” We’ve all heard it. It’s just that all too often we don’t believe it. And maybe that’s because when this has been used for great good, we’re told it’s reserved for the select few; or when it is used for unimaginable evil, it’s something we can never imagine ourselves being or doing. And just like another saying goes, no matter which way you might believe, it’s true.

Here’s a truth I know. I meet with hundreds of people in this valley every year who are doing absolutely amazing things in business, the community, in their lives and the lives of others. But many of them have the same problem I do: They don’t believe it. In a meeting just this past week, I told someone I respect a great deal for the work she does with the county how much good I can see she’s doing. She was truly thankful for the compliment. Then again, she also seemed even more relieved. I bet I looked the same to her during our chat when she returned the compliment.

The people I have the pleasure of knowing through this paper might or might not succeed with their endeavors. But that’s really not the point anymore in as we head into the year 2012 AT (after Tebow). Let’s say Tim doesn’t turn out to be the greatest quarterback in NFL history. Does that mean he failed? More important, do you think this is the last you’ll hear of Tim doing something great in your lifetime just because the NFL thing didn’t work out? Remember this above all else: Tebow has already achieved great things in his profession and his life, just like you have in yours.

So before that pundit, announcer or politician has a chance to say, “No one thought…..” (actually, with politicians you can end the sentence right there) and then tell us all how they’ll help fix this, create that, take all of our troubles away or pass the blame, perhaps we can take a page out of Tebow’s playbook. And we only need one page to achieve all of the great things and solutions this world needs — the one titled “Believe.”

It’s my prayer in the coming year we all put our faith in the right place first so we can all be blessed with having it bestowed back upon us in waves. I’m gathering that we would be well served to remember that before Tim started “Tebowing” on one knee, he was on his two knees before that asking God for the strength, guidance and faith he needed every second of every day in his life. From a glance, that seems to be working pretty good for Tim — both on and off the field.

May God bless you, your family, your friends, our troops, our government, this nation and this planet in the coming year. We’re gonna need it, so we all may as well start asking. Unlike the honey badger, God indeed gives a “you-know-what” about you, me and every living thing on this planet. Remember, He made all of this, including you, from nothing. And according to His word, you have the same abilities.

Posted by Craig Hall
on Dec 21 2011. Filed under Opinion.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0.
Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Post Your Thoughts Below

Blake

(Standing ovation..) GREAT piece Craig!!!! Very timely also. I, for one, intend on improving in this area next year. I’m hoping a LOT of people read this piece and decide to jump aboard and do the same.